First Time on O Short Review: Civilized Yet Comfortable

[CabinBoy2020]

Thank you Ricka47 for the review!  I was hoping you would post something about your trip.  I will be on the Insignia (first Oceania cruise) next year for a 16 day Panama Canal cruise.  I'm so glad you enjoyed the food and the overall atmosphere of the ship.  Can you tell me if there was any classical music on board (HAL does this well IMO) and also worthwhile enrichment programs?  

 

You booked another cruise so that's the best recommendation!

 

Bill

[LHT28]

8 minutes ago, CabinForOne said:

Thank you Ricka47 for the review!  I was hoping you would post something about your trip.  I will be on the Insignia (first Oceania cruise) next year for a 16 day Panama Canal cruise.  I'm so glad you enjoyed the food and the overall atmosphere of the ship.  Can you tell me if there was any classical music on board (HAL does this well IMO) and also worthwhile enrichment programs?  

 

You booked another cruise so that's the best recommendation!

 

Bill

Not Rick

But they always have the string quartet in the evenings as well as tea time  usually they play classical music  but some people request other types of music so if they can they do play it

 

[UDSpud]

To ricka47 -  Thanks for a balanced and well written review.  Had you sailed on Oceania before?  If so, how about the Marina and Riviera?  When you booked, were you aware of the age of the Insignia?

 

Will look forward to your next review.

[ricka47]

44 minutes ago, UDSpud said:

To ricka47 -  Thanks for a balanced and well written review.  Had you sailed on Oceania before?  If so, how about the Marina and Riviera?  When you booked, were you aware of the age of the Insignia?

 

Will look forward to your next review.

 

This was our first Oceania sailing and I knew the age of the Insignia.  But, she is in very good shape.  We just booked the Riviera for March of 2020.

[ricka47]

2 hours ago, CabinForOne said:

Thank you Ricka47 for the review!  I was hoping you would post something about your trip.  I will be on the Insignia (first Oceania cruise) next year for a 16 day Panama Canal cruise.  I'm so glad you enjoyed the food and the overall atmosphere of the ship.  Can you tell me if there was any classical music on board (HAL does this well IMO) and also worthwhile enrichment programs?  

 

You booked another cruise so that's the best recommendation!

 

Bill

 

Yup, we booked another one the day after returning!  As said above there is the string quartet that played every evening and at tea.  They were also part of at least one of the shows in the theater and one of the violinists joined the band one evening as well although this was not for classical music.

 

As you note, HAL does this very well.  I think, in fact, they do it a bit better as there is more of a dedicated space in Lincoln Center.  On Insignia people would walk through after dinner and the shops were right there as well.   But, most people were considerate and lowered their voices.

Edited October 25, 2019 by ricka47

[Paulchili]

36 minutes ago, ricka47 said:

Yup, we booked another one the day after returning! 

Perhaps in the future you might consider booking a future cruise while onboard.

In addition to getting some OBC on your current cruise, you will also get some discount but most importantly, you will get a “best price guarantee” until cruise time (even after final payment). 

I do thank you for your sharing with us impressions of your first Oceania experience.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Paulchili

[CintiPam]

Thanks for posting your thoughtful balanced impressions.  Since the debut of Marina in 2011, we only have cruised on the larger “O” ships due to the additional specialty restaurants, nicer bathrooms and newer cabins.   (However, we have sailed the same smaller former Renaissance ships when we have sailed on Azamara for some of its excellent itineraries.)

 

There always is a tent, ice and drinks at any tender port; I never missed that amenity at a dock but we only have sailed on those two cruislines in our cruising careers, never over 1,300 passengers.  We like the atmosphere onboard, our fellow passengers, and the excellent food and service.

[LHT28]

15 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Perhaps in the future you might consider booking a future cruise while onboard.

In addition to getting some OBC on your current cruise, you will also get some discount but most importantly, you will get a “best price guarantee” until cruise time (even after final payment). 

 

Paul  I think you can get the onboard deal 30 days prior /after the cruise

 

[Paulchili]

3 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Paul  I think you can get the onboard deal 30 days prior /after the cruise

 

Thanks Lyn - good to know. 

Obviously if you do it after the cruise you cannot get the OBC (or do you get it for a future cruise)?

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Thanks Lyn - good to know. 

Obviously if you do it after the cruise you cannot get the OBC (or do you get it for a future cruise)?

not sure on the OBC

[ricka47]

2 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Perhaps in the future you might consider booking a future cruise while onboard.

In addition to getting some OBC on your current cruise, you will also get some discount but most importantly, you will get a “best price guarantee” until cruise time (even after final payment). 

I do thank you for your sharing with us impressions of your first Oceania experience.

 

We did that with a deal that lets you book any time within a year.  They gave us the "best price guarantee" and $100 OBC toward the cruise that we were on.

[AlexCherie]

On 10/24/2019 at 1:54 PM, FetaCheese said:

Thanks Ricka47, excellent review.  We are (were) very loyal to X, started in 1993, however, our last X cruise, Sept 2018 Can/NE on Summit, we did notice that everything had changed, not too bad, but everything of lesser quality, even the bathroom washcloths were paper thin.  Service people and Purser's desk, just OK, Food was OK, but not up to the standards that we had come to expect on X.  Newer pax probably would not notice anything.  Agree with you that X prices have increased substantially over the last 1- 2 years.  Was reluctant to try other lines, due to loyalty level -elite-, but when we 1st tried O in April 2016, we really loved everything they offered.  Going on 4th O cruise soon.  You pay a little more pp/pd, but you get more, and a really superior experience.  Went on HAL (friends were going and asked us to join), Nov 2018, and again in Feb 2019, and really liked everything about it.  When on that last X cruise, Loyalty director was very friendly and outgoing.  He was the best part of cruise.  He told us that X's major competition was HAL, and I now know why.  For price of HAL, even with extra charges, they give a really nice product.  I have noticed that O prices have also increased over the last 1 - 2 years.

My feeling as well, in nearly every regard. I've been with X since 1995. The Aqua class room really can't be had for less than $130 a night, and you can put together a better experience on Holland for about half that price. Meanwhile at $150 a night, you can sleep in an interior on Oceania and step up your dining experience considerably. 

Other than my status, X doesn't give me a reason to return (perhaps ... entertainment.) 

[DeeniEncinitas]

On 10/25/2019 at 1:01 PM, ricka47 said:

 

This was our first Oceania sailing and I knew the age of the Insignia.  But, she is in very good shape.  We just booked the Riviera for March of 2020.

Rick which cruise? We are on her 3/31/20

TA Miami to Rome than 4/19/20 Monte Carlo to Barcelona!!

Great reviews! 
Question we are 5 Star Mariners on HAL not that it matters🙄 we book cruises on the cruise and our last one to South America we got $1,000 OBC with unlimited 

elite beverage package and internet. 
We are planning on booking on O just want to know did they give any incentives?

Thanks

Denise😊

[DeeniEncinitas]

Rick I got excited and didn’t even read any further! They do have incentives😇

Denise😊

[Mura]

On 10/25/2019 at 1:53 PM, LHT28 said:

But they always have the string quartet in the evenings as well as tea time  usually they play classical music  but some people request other types of music so if they can they do play it

 

Not our experience, Lyn ... but I admit that we rarely go there because I'm really fussy about string quartets, since i grew up listening to them at home played by top-notch professionals.  However, our limited experience in listening to the string quartets was that they did many arrangements of more popular music (Broadway shows, not rock!) than classical.  Maybe it was our timing.

 

I remember being upset when the quartet (a trio at the time) doing a version of a trio from Magic Flute for two violins and viola at one of those super-special buffet brunches.  The problem I had with that was that the trio is for soprano, tenor and bass ... so the voicing was really off with only the higher instruments.  I thought of saying something to the musicians, but did not ...

 

But I would agree that they are classically trained musicians who try to gear their renditions for an audience that is not necessarily classically oriented.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, Mura said:

Not our experience, Lyn ... but I admit that we rarely go there because I'm really fussy about string quartets, since i grew up listening to them at home played by top-notch professionals.  However, our limited experience in listening to the string quartets was that they did many arrangements of more popular music (Broadway shows, not rock!) than classical.  Maybe it was our timing.

 

yes people requested Broadway show tunes  from some of the quartets

one group played Beatles music   ..interesting 

one group of ladies played classical numbers   a pax stopped her when they were leaving on their break & asked for something more modern something he could sing to ...she picked up her violin & played him O Danny  Boy

Perfect

DH  had a good laugh 😉

 

[Mura]

A good story, Lyn.  We never saw anything like that.  I'd have gotten a good laugh, too.

 

 

[ricka47]

8 hours ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Rick which cruise? We are on her 3/31/20

TA Miami to Rome than 4/19/20 Monte Carlo to Barcelona!!

Great reviews! 
Question we are 5 Star Mariners on HAL not that it matters🙄 we book cruises on the cruise and our last one to South America we got $1,000 OBC with unlimited 

elite beverage package and internet. 
We are planning on booking on O just want to know did they give any incentives?

Thanks

Denise😊

 We are on the 3/11 MIA to MIA sailing.  We opted for the lowest price with few incentives on this one.

[keithm]

On ‎10‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 7:42 AM, ricka47 said:

We just completed an 11-night cruise on the Insignia in a B-1 cabin (6062).  To me, our experience can be summed up as civilized yet comfortable for my wife and I who are in our late 60s. There were few lines anywhere, no stress, and it's not "stuffy" in any way.  The food is mostly very good (better than the specialty restaurants on the mainstream lines) and the crew is great. 

 

Fellow passengers seemed somewhat friendlier than we've seen on other lines.  The smaller size of the ship may have played a role here.  Also, unlike other lines, there seemed to be no competition to see how well the drink package could be used each day.

Celebrity's Aqua Class had been our favorite way to cruise until this sailing.  However, the food in the GDR on Insignia was consistently better than what is found in Blu and certainly much better than in the MDR on Celebrity or HAL.

 

The entertainment was better than we expected as we've become a bit bored with the "singers and dancers" production shows on the mainstream lines.  But, on this cruise, the show band was very good (which is usually always the case) and the singers and dancers were talented and engaging as were the other guest performers.

The Insignia was the smallest ship that we had ever sailed (the Empress of the Seas at about 48,000 tons was the smallest previously) but that was a non-issue as everything that we needed was there.  I joked to my brother that it's like a real cruise ship only smaller.   She was in great shape and it was extremely easy to get from one place to another.  Forgetting something in your cabin did not require a major trip despite the teeny tiny elevators (whose idea was that?) on the Insignia.

 

Our cabin was small but nicely designed and, while the bathroom was indeed the smallest that we have ever seen on a ship, it caused us no problems at all.  I'm 6'1" and 185 pounds and the shower was tight but OK.

Two other things (besides the tiny elevators) had us scratching our heads although they are very far from deal breakers as we're already booking our next O cruise:

1.) RCI can have us aboard the Oasis class ships as early as 1030 and cabins available by 1300.  On O it is much later for both.  (5400 vs 650 passengers - go figure!)

2.) When coming back from the ship on a hot island there was no tent, chairs, drinks, or iced towels.

I suggest trying the Riviera/Marina. The ships are larger, but not too large. The food I hear is better on these 2 ships. I've not been on the smaller ones, so I can't prove that. We always had a nice "lounge" area by the return gang plank, with cold wash towels & water with fresh sliced lemon.

[keithm]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 4:01 PM, ricka47 said:

 

This was our first Oceania sailing and I knew the age of the Insignia.  But, she is in very good shape.  We just booked the Riviera for March of 2020.

I really think you'll enjoy the Riviera. Bathrooms are more than satisfactory(provided you're not in an inside, but those are decent sized as well)You'll really like the food. If you're a foodie like us, you'll have a great time. Le Bourgeoisie is probably our favorite dining adventure in La Reserve.

[Flatbush Flyer]

On 10/25/2019 at 1:06 PM, ricka47 said:

 

Yup, we booked another one the day after returning!  As said above there is the string quartet that played every evening and at tea.  They were also part of at least one of the shows in the theater and one of the violinists joined the band one evening as well although this was not for classical music.

 

As you note, HAL does this very well.  I think, in fact, they do it a bit better as there is more of a dedicated space in Lincoln Center.  On Insignia people would walk through after dinner and the shops were right there as well.   But, most people were considerate and lowered their voices.

Okay- I'll bite. Why didn't you book onboard (only a day earlier) for the extra fare savings, current SBC and "price drop match" guarantee? You could've booked it to yourself (rather than your existing TA) and then would have had 30 days from disembarkation to "shop

it around" for transfer to another TA for their added perks like commission sharing.

[ricka47]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Okay- I'll bite. Why didn't you book onboard (only a day earlier) for the extra fare savings, current SBC and "price drop match" guarantee? You could've booked it to yourself (rather than your existing TA) and then would have had 30 days from disembarkation to "shop

it around" for transfer to another TA for their added perks like commission sharing.

We received all of that along with the $100 OBC on the current cruise but didn't have to book for a year.

[Flatbush Flyer]

31 minutes ago, ricka47 said:

We received all of that along with the $100 OBC on the current cruise but didn't have to book for a year.

Future cruise certificate- that works too! 

Hopefully, you also identified some Oceania Connoisseurs Club TAs and did a quick "shop around" for perks. O pays its TAs on a volume based commission scale. So, the top sellers may have a bit more wiggle room when talking commission sharing.

Edited November 1, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[glenneagle]

We were on the same cruise. We were at a shared table one night with the couple who brought the 6 suitcases.It was there first and last Oceania cruise.They have only done Crystal.They were not happy as they each brought a case each of formal attire and no one was dressed up.They obviously did not do their re search.. and O is just not for them. We do miss the cold towels and water Celebrity has, but we prefer O now that we are a bit older.......

 

 

[Cruseforme]

52 minutes ago, glenneagle said:

We were on the same cruise. We were at a shared table one night with the couple who brought the 6 suitcases.It was there first and last Oceania cruise.They have only done Crystal.They were not happy as they each brought a case each of formal attire and no one was dressed up.They obviously did not do their re search.. and O is just not for them. We do miss the cold towels and water Celebrity has, but we prefer O now that we are a bit older.......

 

 

We are on our 3rd Crystal Cruise, and on a 10 day, you usually have one black tie optional night and more for more days onboard, but, in our experience, aprox 10% or less wear actual formal wear, the rest are in various stages of nicer dress (ie., jacket, jacket/tie, or suit for men and cocktail short dress, or dark slacks for women).   6 suitcases is more than you would need for an around the world cruise!    So even on Crystal, they may be in the minority, sounds like they just like to dress formally,  which should be NBD, dress if you want on any line!  But if you are expecting formal, Nowadays, you may be surprised on most.     Of course, YMMV.   

The dress code for Crystal shows:

Black Tie Optional Attire 

A Black Tie Optional evening offers a celebratory opportunity to dress more formally on a special evening(s). For men, this includes a dark suit with tie, or tuxedo; for women, this includes a formal cocktail dress, evening gown or dressy evening separates. On Black Tie Optional evenings, we request at least a jacket to be worn by men and a dress, skirt or dress slacks and blouse or sweater to be worn by women. Jeans may not be worn in any dining venues or lounges, including the Casino, on Black Tie Optional evenings.